Blues beat Wild for fifth straight win

St. Paul, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - How's the view from the top, St. Louis?

T.J. Oshie and Alexander Steen each scored in the shootout as the visiting
Blues overcame squandering a two-goal lead to beat Minnesota 3-2 and end the
Wild's six-game winning streak at Xcel Energy Center.

An eighth straight win against the Wild and a fifth consecutive victory
overall vaulted St. Louis ahead of Anaheim for the top spot in the NHL
standings.

Brian Elliott had 17 saves through regulation and overtime before turning
away both Minnesota chances in the tiebreaker.

"They (Wild) play a defensive shutdown system and we try and do the same,"
said Elliot on the challenges playing the Wild. "It's tough generating
chances sometimes."

Ilya Bryzgalov made 20 saves in his debut with the Wild. He was acquired from
Edmonton on Tuesday.

Minnesota had a chance to end the game in regulation, with St. Louis forward
Patrik Berglund whistled for roughing with 1:29 to go. The Wild failed to
convert on the power play and the game was decided in a shootout.

Oshie used a deke to the forward and fired the puck over Bryzgalov's glove.
After Elliott disrupted Mikko Koivu's attempt with a poke check, Steen beat
Bryzgalov on the blocker side with a wrist shot.

"It would've been nice to get the two points, but I'm pretty pleased with the
game our team played," Wild head coach Mike Yeo said.

The Blues scored twice in the first period before Minnesota rallied with a
pair of second-period strikes.

Oshie opened the scoring on a power play at 3:37 and a turnover in their own
zone by the Wild led to Carlo Colaiacovo lighting the lamp on a shot from the
high slot at 8:30.

Jason Pominville put the Wild on the board, firing a wrister from the left
circle in off the far post at 3:11 of the middle frame.

Minnesota tied the game when Koivu picked off a clearing attempt along the
boards and dished to recent acquisition Matt Moulson, who redirected the pass
in for his first goal with the Wild at 7:03.

Game Notes

The Blues improved to 18-0-1 against Central Division teams this season ...
Rookie goaltender Darcy Kuemper had started 16 consecutive games for Minnesota
... St. Louis head coach Ken Hitchcock earned his 649th career win to pass Ron
Wilson for seventh place on the NHL's all-time list.